Burning Obsessions : Tom Riddle

36: Unforgettable

[victoria's pov]

"I don't want to hear it, Nicholson," I told Richard as he caught up to me in the corridors. It had been a week now since Tom had proposed for me to join him and his secret alliance, but he still didn't allow me to attend the meetings. He had told me I'm "not ready," to hear what they discussed, which had temporarily made me ignore him for a day. I still was.

"But you will want to hear this one!" Nicholson said. "It's not about Theodore, I swear on Salazar's name!"

I pause and give him a suspicious side eye. He's practically on his knees, begging for me to listen.

"Fine," I said. "What is it you wish to tell me so bad?"

He nods and drags me roughly to the side of the corridor, making sure no one was listening.

"Earlier today at Quidditch practice–a shame I won't get to play again until next term, I was eavesdropping on Malfoy and Black. Apparently, Viridian was killed."

I felt my breath cut short.

"I know you were close to her, so I wanted to tell you what could perhaps be the truth," he said.

"Tell me more," I demand quietly. "What else did you hear?"

He's eager to spill what he knows. His mouth rambles, thinking faster than he can speak.

"Well erm, apparently it's what her parents believe because in a small column article from the Daily Prophet, it was briefly mentioned that her family may have been... I don't know how to say it... abusive towards her mental health so that's why she ran away and uh... got killed," he said. "Malfoy told Black that her family is holding a closed casket funeral for her later tonight at their home because they want it to be discreet. It's a closed invite and from your reaction, I'm assuming you didn't know..."

He was right. I didn't know.

"Oi, can you hear me, Victoria?" Richard said.

I couldn't find the words to respond to him. Her poor parents. They were such good and hard working people. Everything they did was for their daughter. Their one and only daughter. The rest of the world would never look at them the same and they would never see her again.

"Please keep this to yourself," I managed to say before walking off spacelessly.

"I will!" he calls out from behind me. "I promise!!"

But his voice fades away as I can only think of the damage I've done. Her mother... she had gone through birth for no reason now. She would not get to sit on the lawn with her grandchildren. And her father... he would never get to walk to the aisle. They'd never get to see her one last time at King's Cross station.

And instead of carrying down her body, they'd only get to carry down the ghost of her.

"I've been calling you, situation" Tom says from behind me, tugging me by the shoulder. I meet his eyes and he raises a brow. "Why is it that you're always upset?"

"Shut up, at least I'm not crying," I said angrily at his comment. "And don't call me 'situation.'"

"Fine then, doll," he said.

The corridors were empty and quiet as he didn't know what to say. I was supposed to be giving him the silent treatment for shutting me out, but it was not on my mind at that moment.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Her parents," I said. "Serenity's parents... they'll be holding a closed casket funeral for her tonight."

"Did you want to go?" he asked. "Is that why you're upset?"

I scoff at his cluelessness. He was a mastermind, yet he wasn't able to filter why I was upset.